Nonstop flight route between Atwater, California, United States and Manzanillo, Cuba:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States and Sierra Maestra Airport (MZO), Manzanillo, Cuba would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,853 miles (or 4,592 kilometers).

A Great Circle is the shortest distance between 2 points on a sphere. Because most world maps are flat (but the Earth is round), the route of the shortest distance between 2 points on the Earth will often appear curved when viewed on a flat map, especially for long distances. If you were to simply draw a straight line on a flat map and measure a very long distance, it would likely be much further than if you were to lay a string between those two points on a globe. Because of the large distance between Castle Airport and Sierra Maestra Airport, the route shown on this map most likely appears curved because of this reason.

Try it at home! Get a globe and tightly lay a string between Castle Airport and Sierra Maestra Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!

Departure Airport Information:

Arrival Airport Information:

Facts about Castle Airport (MER):

• Castle Airport (MER) currently has only 1 runway.
• The furthest airport from Castle Airport (MER) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 11,312 miles (18,204 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
• The closest airport to Castle Airport (MER) is Merced Regional Airport (MCE), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) SSE of MER.
• Because of Castle Airport's relatively low elevation of 191 feet, planes can take off or land at Castle Airport at a lower air speed than at airports located at a higher elevation. This is because the air density is higher closer to sea level than it would otherwise be at higher elevations.
• With its central location in the San Joaquin Valley, on the route of the proposed California High-Speed Rail system, and with a large, underdeveloped site, Castle Airport has been submitted as a possible location for the central maintenance facility for the system.
• It serves one school, Sierra Academy of Aeronautics, which specializes in training foreign pilots, from the People's Republic of China.
• Since the mid-1940s, aircraft maintenance, fuel management, and fire training activities on the base have generated wastes that consist primarily of waste fuels, oils, solvents, and cleaners.
• It was estimated that the cost to relocate the 129 RQW to Castle, to include associated military construction costs, could be recouped in seven years.
• The airport is located at the former Castle Air Force Base which closed in 1995.

Facts about Sierra Maestra Airport (MZO):

• Because of Sierra Maestra Airport's relatively low elevation of 112 feet, planes can take off or land at Sierra Maestra Airport at a lower air speed than at airports located at a higher elevation. This is because the air density is higher closer to sea level than it would otherwise be at higher elevations.
• Sierra Maestra Airport (MZO) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Sierra Maestra Airport (MZO) is Carlos Manuel de Céspedes Airport (BYM), which is located 31 miles (50 kilometers) ENE of MZO.
• The furthest airport from Sierra Maestra Airport (MZO) is Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK), which is located 11,747 miles (18,905 kilometers) away in Cocos Islands, Australia.